People doing things like that need to be called out in front of everyone, put on the spot and made to feel awkward. I would have been super po'd and would have made that crystal clear. Telling the instructor after the fact doesn't discourage that person from doing it again, after all he got away with it.

This is a safety issue to me. I don't want to be filmed with my behind in the air to be turned into a meme or identified and laughed at on social media. That could be social and professional death for some people.

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Always be polite, even to nasty people. Not because they are nice, but because you are.

The whole thing was weird and rude. Why did the leader allow this, is my question. I am glad you reported it. Do you think she had him come and film the class for her, for some reason? Again, this would be wrong without letting people opt out of being filmed. I don't think it is right, in any case, to allow something to go on that would cause a member to miss a class not of their own choice but in order not to be filmed. I go to an exercise class at the Senior center and the assistant brought her camera in and I told her immediately that I do not like to have my picture taken. She understood and respected that and made sure that she didn't include me. Probably because someone very close to her feels the same way, so it isn't odd to her. If she had not excluded me I would have left the class, as well.

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I've never knitted anything I could recognize when it was finished. Actually, I've never finished anything, much to my family's relief.

Of course you did the right thing in reporting him. I would also ask the instructor about it next time you see her. I think it is perfectly justified to say, "Instructor, I was really uncomfortable that you allowed someone to record our class the other day. Can you tell me who that was and why they were recording?"

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What have you got? Is it food? Is it for me? I want it whatever it is!

Yes it was rude. People should be told and given the option of whether or not they wished to be filmed. If this was going to be used for instruction or promotion, often times waivers need to be signed. I think you were right in talking to staff. You should have marched straight up to the front desk immediately. I'm glad the guy didn't leave and they could talk to him about it. I would ask the instructor next time why they allowed it. I would want to know why the class was being taped, the purpose it would be used for, and I would want to know if I was on it.

Yes it was rude. People should be told and given the option of whether or not they wished to be filmed. If this was going to be used for instruction or promotion, often times waivers need to be signed. I think you were right in talking to staff. You should have marched straight up to the front desk immediately. I'm glad the guy didn't leave and they could talk to him about it. I would ask the instructor next time why they allowed it. I would want to know why the class was being taped, the purpose it would be used for, and I would want to know if I was on it.

Totally agree!

The last Zumba class I took, the instructor asked if she could take some pictures and sign accompanying waivers to use the pictures for marketing purposes. It was made in the form of an announcement, so if you wanted to participate you could but there was totally no pressure to do so.

In this circumstance, I was a member of a gym with a contract, so the waivers were on top of that.

I wanted to add that I just wouldn't report it to staff, I'd go straight to the manager even now. This is a situation that might even have legal implications for the Y. It certainly has other issues, and I am sure the management would be interested in knowing that someone for an unknown reason wants to photograph people in their privately-owned place.

ETA: The instructor certainly needs a lesson in when and how to handle this type of thing.

A gym is private or semi-public property. They can not take video footage of you for the purpose of promoting their business without your consent. They must also obtain permission and signed photography/film releases for every person who appears in the room (including anyone who is in the background).

In most jurisdictions in North America, even places with security cameras have to let you know if there are security cameras (like stores and shopping malls), and in places where there are more rigid privacy laws, they need to be able to tell you exactly how that footage is collected, stored, used, and destroyed if you were to ask. A restaurant, bar, gym, or store would be considered private property enough that they need your permission to film prior to filming.

They absolutely can not use your likeness for promotional or commercial purposes without your permission and/or proper compensation. I would absolutely follow up with the operations manager of the facility and let them know the filming was out of line and if it shows up on their YouTube channel, a cease-and-desist order would be quick to follow.

I used to work in the film industry. These are some of the reasons you need permits to film in public spaces and have to pay a lot of money to have extras for crowd scenes.